Why Buy a Category B+ Driving License?
You'll need a Class B license when you need to drive a car with a trailer that weighs more than 26,000 pounds. An endorsement for your existing CDL class is typically an issue of taking a new knowledge test and a skills test.
The passing of a test in category C1+E automatically upgrades your licence to include full B+E eligibility (but subject to the maximum weight limit for trains on your B licence). This is only available to UK drivers.
Passenger Endorsements
If you plan to operate a single vehicle with a capacity of 16 or more (including the driver) to transport passengers, this endorsement is required. You must pass the P written knowledge test and the road skills test pertaining to passengers to receive this CDL endorsement. School bus drivers must have an endorsement for CDL and go through an FBI background check.
The Class B with Passenger Endorsement permits you to operate vehicles that have a weight of more than 26,001 pounds when the towing vehicle does not exceed 10,000 pounds. Tour, city and school buses are common vehicles. This class of CDL is used primarily by professional bus drivers.
This endorsement is not required by drivers employed by an organization that doesn't transport people or property, such as Realtors plumbers, plumbers and meter readers. Your employer might require this endorsement to satisfy insurance or safety requirements. The regular (Class) Driver License with the Passenger (F) Endorsement can be added to your Commercial Driver's License in the event that you are a taxi driver or shuttle bus driver, courier or ambulance driver. Any CDL Classification can have a For-Hire endorsement added. The code for the endorsement is located on the front of your license, below the expiration date, and just below the letter "E".
Hazardous Materials Endorsements
The Hazardous Materials endorsement informs employers that you have the qualifications to transport certain types freight. This specialized credential will boost your career prospects and will help you secure higher-paying driving positions, particularly in the field of trucking. It requires a heightened level of safety awareness that goes beyond usual rules of the road to include handling passengers, managing onboard emergencies, and leading evacuation procedures.
You will have to pass a written exam on hazardous materials and pass an extensive background check conducted by the Transportation Security Administration. This is because these materials are explosive, corrosive or toxic, and only certified people can handle them. This endorsement is required for truck drivers who transport chemicals and liquid gas as well as construction site workers who bring materials to the site of work.
You may need to have an CDL endorsement P (passenger) for if you operate vehicles that transport passengers, such as tour buses and city buses. School bus drivers need a separate S (school bus) endorsement to operate these vehicles. You can also add the tanker or N (tank vehicles) CDL endorsement to you driving license to transport liquids and gases, such as oil, gas dairy, beverages and waste management, or even agriculture. Some companies, such as Schneider offers a combinations of HazMat and tanker (X) endorsements which permit you to transport both types of cargo without the requirement for a separate endorsement for either.
The need for additional endorsements to operate certain commercial vehicles will depend on the specific needs of the company you are applying to work for. It is important to do your research about the endorsements your prospective employer prefers or requires. This will help you make the most of your time and money in a wise manner. This will help you decide which qualifications you should obtain before you begin your driving career, and reduce the chance of spending money on unnecessary endorsements. The good news is that a lot of companies pay their drivers the cost of obtaining necessary CDL endorsements which is a great way to start your driving career with little investment.
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Having the proper endorsements gives drivers access to vehicles that they wouldn't otherwise be allowed to operate. This enables them to broaden their horizons and position themselves as the most polished resource in the job market. Schneider suggests that drivers meet with industry professionals and career counsellors to better understand which combinations of endorsements are most suitable for their goals.
The T combination endorsement, for example, allows CDL Class B and A license holders to drive multiple trailers, including double and triple ones. This requires advanced driving skills and an understanding of how the trailers move in relation to one another, since they are more prone to turning and jackknifing than single trailer trucks. Similarly the X endorsement gives Class A and B CDL holders the ability to transport HazMat cargo through a tanker truck.
Trailer Endorsements
Those who transport passengers for a living have to have their Regular (Class D) driver license enhanced with the For-Hire (F) endorsement. Examples of drivers who require this endorsement are taxi drivers and shuttle service drivers couriers, delivery and delivery services (flowers pizza, flowers) as well as ambulance drivers. Some employees who are working on commission or for their own company and don't transport property or people as part of their job (such as Realtors, plumbers, or meter readers) might also require the endorsement for hire.
The "T" endorsement permits CDL holders to operate vehicles with double and triple trailers. Schneider does not reimburse drivers who have obtained this endorsement. homesite "X" endorsement permits holders of Class A and B CDL to transport HazMat on tankers. This combination of endorsements is sometimes referred to as a "combo" or an "all-hazards" endorsement.